Pattern control mechanism for circular knitting machines

ABSTRACT

A pattern control mechanism for circular knitting machines having a rotating cylinder in which there are operatively arranged a plurality of knitting needles and jacks. The plurality of knitting needles and jacks form a plurality of knitting systems. A pattern mechanism is operatively mounted in the stationary cam cylinder which coacts with the rotating cylinder supporting the needles and jacks. Each pattern arrangement comprises a plurality of pattern sliders which are arranged in a stack. The individual pattern sliders are sequentially actuated by means of an electromagnetic control mechanism. The control mechanism is mounted in the rotating cylinder. The pattern sliders can be locked in position by a control rod. The control mechanism comprises pushers which are actuated by a magnet, said pushers coacting in accordance with a predetermined pattern with the pattern sliders.

United States Patent Schindele et al.

PATTERN CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Inventors: Alfred Schindele, Karlstr. 36,

I-Iarthausen; Heinz Glausinger, Zuckerbergstr. 161, Stuttgart; Jiirg Helmert, Wallmershtr. 28, Stuttgart-Unterturkheim, all of Germany Filed: Nov. 22, 1972 Appl. No.: 308,751

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 63,257, Aug. 12, 1970, abandoned.

Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 16, 1969 Germany 1941639 US. Cl. 66/50 R, 66/115 Int. Cl D04b 15/78 Field of Search 66/50 R, 49, 25, 40, 42,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,950,846 4/1971 Germany 66/50 R 287,187 3/1928 Great Britain 66/50 R 362,787 8/1962 Switzerland 66/50 R 483,511 2/1970 Switzerland 66/50 R Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney, Agent, or FirmArthur O. Klein [5 7] ABSTRACT A pattern control mechanism for circular knitting machines having a rotating cylinder in which there are operatively arranged a plurality of knitting needles and jacks. The plurality of knitting needles and jacks form a plurality of knitting systems. A pattern mechanism is operatively mounted in the stationary cam cylinder which coacts with the rotating cylinder supporting the needles and jacks. Each pattern arrangement comprises a plurality of pattern sliders which are arranged in a stack. The individual pattern sliders are sequentially actuated by means of an electromagnetic control mechanism. The control mechanism is mounted in the rotating cylinder. The pattern sliders can be locked in position by a control rod. The control mechanism comprises pushers which are actuated by a magnet, said pushers coacting in accordance with a predetermined pattern with the pattern sliders.

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PATTERN CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This a continuation-in-part application of our copending application Ser. No. 63,257, filed Aug. 12, 1970, now abandoned entitled Pattern Control for Circular knitting Machines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a pattern control mechanism for circular knitting machines.

The invention has among its objects the provision of an apparatus or mechanism of the type indicated which is very economical and compact. The mechanism in accordance with the invention has, in combination, the following advantageous features:

a. Every knitting system of the circular knitting machine is of the known type.

b. The knitting needles are adjusted by a control mechanism which brings about a relative movement between the knitting needle and associated jack.

The control mechanism comprises a plurality of sliders mounted in the stationary cam cylinder and at least one stack of electro-magnetically actuated pushers mounted in the rotating cylinder.

By a coaction of preselected pushers and sliders a preselected jack is pivoted relative to a knitting needle and thereby is either moved into a knitting or nonknitting position.

c. The preselected needles of a knitting system are shiftable from a knitting to a non-knitting position and vice versa by successive pattern control signals.

In the known pattern control mechanisms (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,473) no means are mounted in the rotating cylinder for coaction with means in the stationary cam cylinder for adjustment of the needle jacks in accordance with a predetermined pattern. In these known types of pattern control mechanism the control mechanism is rotatably mounted in a separate support and not in the rotating needle cylinder as it is in the pattern control mechanism of this invention. Such an arrangement is much more complex and costly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to produce a pattern control mechanism for circular knitting machines which comprises at least one stackof electromagnetically actuated pushers mounted in the rotating cylinder and a plurality of stacks of sliders mounted in the stationary cam cylinder. By a preselected coaction of the sliders and pushers preselected jacks are sequentially adjusted relative to preselected knitting needles thereby placing the preselected jacks into a knitting or non-knitting position in accordance with a preselected pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING Further features of the invention can be obtained from the following descriptions in combination with the drawing, where a constructional example of two pattern control mechanism installations in accordance with the invention are schematically shown in several views in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the head of the circular knitting machine illustrating a portion of the-pattern control mechanism of the invention and a needle jack in a knitting position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 1 wherein the portion of the pattern control mechanism and the associated needle jack are shown in a nonknitting position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the entire pattern control mechanism during a selection process wherein the sliders of the pattern control mechanism are in a released position;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the entire pattern control mechanism of this invention wherein the sliders of the pattern control mechanism are in a locked position;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the stationary cylinder cam of the arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the electro-magnetically actuated control mechanism along line 6 6 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the lock bolt of the pattern control mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of six different jacks having staggered butts;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a pattern slider; and

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a knitting needle and a jack pivotally connected thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As illustrated in FIG. 1 there is drawn a vertical sectional view of a portion of the stationary cam cylinder and the rotating needle cylinder. A portion of the rotating needle cylinder 6 of a circular knitting machine is shown. This rotating needle cylinder 6 has a plurality of vertical slits 14 as is conventional in this type of circular knitting machines. Jacks 9 and knitting needles 10 are slidably movably mounted in the slits 14 of the circular knitting machine. As can be noted from FIG. 1 the jacks 9 and knitting needles 10 are pivotable relative to each other. Each jack 9 is provided with a butt 9a which is adapted to coact with an ejection cam 15 mounted in the stationary cam cylinder 8 of the circular knitting machine. The arrangement described sofar forms part of the state of the art and is for example illustrated in detail in FIG. I of U.S. Pat. No. 3,518,845.

Each one of the jacks 9 'is provided with a further lower butt 9a adapted to coact with a slider 4 slidably mounted within a slot in the stationary cam cylinder 8. The jack 9 is moved to the knitting respectively nonknitting position in the following manner:

Knitting position (see FIG. 1)

The slider 4 is in the retracted position and does not act on the jack 9 via the butt 9b. Due to the gravitational pull on the hinge connection between the jack 9 and the needle 10 the jack 9 assumes a vertical position. Thus the jack 9 is not pivoted relative to the needle 10. The jacks can therefore coact via the butts 9a with the ejection cam 15 of the stationary cam cylinder 8. The non-knitting position (FIG. 2)

The corresponding slider 4 is in the projected position and acts on a jack butt 9b thereby causing the corresponding jack 9 to pivot to a certain extent relative to the knitting needle 10. The pivotal movement of the jack 9 must be sufficiently large so that the jack butt 9a is moved out of the path of the ejection cam 15. Consequently, the jack butt 9a does no longer come into contact with the ejection cam 15 during the rotary movement of the needle jack 9 together with the rotating cylinder 6. The corresponding jack 9 and associated knitting needle 10 are therefore not ejected (lifted) by the ejection cam 15.

The jacks 9 are provided with staggered butts 9b as is illustrated in FIG. 8. This staggered arrangement of butts on the juxtaposed jacks 9 forms part of the state of the art and is for example described and disclosed in the co-assigned US. Pat. application Ser. No. 194,658. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings there are shown six sliders 4 which are arranged in a stack one above the other. These sliders 4 can be locked in position by means of a locking bolt 3 either in a forward projected position or in a rearward retracted position. The coaction between the locking bolt 3 and the sliders 4 will be described in detail in connection with FIG. 6.

The locking bolt 3 can be, pursuant to a preselected program, maintained in a locking position by means of a bolt 11. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the bolt 11 can be eliminated and constitutes merely a constructional conventional means; similarly the bolts 3 and 11 can be embodied in one unit. The bolt 11 is contacted by a cam 6a, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The cam 6a is firmly connected with the rotating needle cylinder 6.

The locking bolt 3 is slidably arranged in a mating bore disposed in the stationary cam cylinder 8. This same bore also accommodates a further bolt 12 as well as a coil spring 13. Here again it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the locking bolt 3 can be altered so as to eliminate the additional bolt 12.

After the cylinder needle 10 has carried out a knitting or non-knitting operation the jack 9 is returned into a vertical position by a cam 16. Although the jack 9 may return due to the gravitational forces acting on it, the cam 16 insures the return to a vertical position of the jack 9.

There are furthermore provided in the stationary cylinder cam 8 a plurality of slip rings 17 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. It should be noted that the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is only illustrative. Thus in practice it is possible to arrange 48 or even 96 staggered butts of adjacent jacks forming a knitting system. It should furthermore be noted that the operation described relative to the arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 pertains only to a knitting operation for one knitting system. In practice a circular knitting machine comprises 30 to 60 knitting systems. Thus, for example, with a circular knitting machine having 30 knitting systems, the to be adjusted and to be locked combination of sliders is subjected to the following operational program;

A. By energizing preselected ones of the pushers 7a (FIG. 3) via electro-magnets 7 which are energized in accordance with a preselected knitting program via the slip rings 17, spring contacts 18 and contact supporting ring 19, the 30 knitting systems are adjusted via the sliders 4 which are locked into place after adjustment by the locking bolt 3;

B. the dliders 4 can be readjusted via the pushers 7a as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in accordance with a preselected pattern;

jacks 9 to their vertical position are known in the art.

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of an electromagnetic control mechanism for preselecting certain sliders 4 before the sliders are locked in place by the locking bolt 3. FIG. 4 illustrates the arrangement of FIG. 3 wherein the sliders 4 are locked in place by the locking bolt 3.

In a knitting machine having 30 to 60 knitting sys tems each slider 4 is in one rotation of the circular knitting machine required to carry out a knitting or non-knitting command as many times as there are knitting systems in the circular knitting machine. After one rotation of the needle cylinder the slider 4 is again brought into the operational region of the electromagnetic control mechanism which can then readjust the position of the slider 4.

As can be noted from FIG. 6 there are no vertical slits 14 present at the periphery of the rotating needle cylinder where the electro-magnetic control mechanism is mounted. Consequently, in this region of the circumferential periphery of the needle cylinder 6 there are also no knitting needles l0 and jacks 9 mounted. While in a normal circular knitting machine there is generally produced a hose of knitted fabric in the circular knitting machine of the invention there is produced a knitted fabric wherein a short section does not have knitted loops but has merely loose floating threads. The area covered by the loose floating threads is however insignificant in a knitting machine, having for example 30 knitting systems, wherein this peripheral area represents 3 percent (l/30). This assumes, of course, that the electromagnetic control mechanism occupies the width of one knitting system. In practice it has been found that such an electric lower magnetic control mechanism is much narrower. Thus it can be stated that the area of the loose floating threads amounts in practice to l 2 percent. In a knitting machine having more than 30 knitting systems the lost or unusable area is even less.

FIG. 3 illustrates the moment in which the sliders 4 are not locked in place. As can be noted, the locking bolt 3 has been pushed slightly downwardly by the coil spring 13 thereby placing into register with each slider 4 a narrowed portion of the locking bolt 3 which permits each slider 4 to be moved radially reciprocally in its corresponding slot in the cam cylinder 8. As can be noted from FIG. 6, each slider 4 is provided with a coil spring 5 disposed within a slot in the slider 4 which urges each slider radially towards the needle cylinder 6.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings there are arranged in the rotatable needle cylinder 6 a stack of 6 electromagnets 7. Each electromagnet 7 is provided with a core 7a acting as a pusher. In the illustrated embodiment, the cores (pushers) are retracted when the coil of the electromagnet 7 is not energized (see the uppermost pusher 7a in FIG. 3). However, it

is well within the skill of the art to reverse this characteristic, that is, to retract the pushers 7a by energizing the coils 7. Electromagnets of the type already described with movable pushers are well-known in the art.

In this manner each pusher 7a determines the position of a slider 4. After the pattern selection, the locking bolt 3 is again pushed upwardly during a further rotation of the needle cylinder by means of the cam 6a (this operation is not illustrated inthe drawings).

There is also illustrated in FIG. 3 an electromagnet 2 which coacts with a core I forming a cam surface. The electromagnet 2 and the pusher core 1 are incorporated in the configuration of the cam 6a.

While the pusher core 1 and the electromagnet 2 do not carry out any significant function in FIG. 3, they do carry out an important function in the arrangement as illustrated in FIG. 4. In the latter arrangement, no pattern selection is to be carried out. In order to accomplish this goal, two operations could be carried out:

I. the sliders are unlocked as shown in FIG. 3 and the same pattern selection is carried out by means of the electromagnets 7, 7a.

2. the selected pattern remains unchanged because the sliders 4 are locked in place as shown in FIG. 4. Thus it is necessary to maintain the locking bolt and the coacting bolt 11 in their upper position by energizing the electromagnet 2 and thereby projecting upwardly the push core 1.

The various electromagnets of the arrangement of this invention can be energized by known means. The following means are described by way of example only for this purpose:

A. The electromagnets 7 are energized by individual slip rings mounted on the stationary cylinder cam 8. The decision switching" or non-switching can be carried out by known reed contacts. These reed contacts-act as non-contacting switches. This embodiment is not illustrated in the drawing.

B. The electromagnets 7 are energized by means of a plurality of slip rings 17 mounted on the stationary cylinder cam 8. These slip rings 17 are energized via an electrical conduit 21 by a source of electrical energy (not illustrated). The slip rings must be protected against soiling in order to efficiently transmit the electrical energy.

The slip rings 17 are contacted by spring-biased contacting terminals 18 mounted on a support member 19 which is made of electrically-insulating material. The support member 19 is firmly mounted on the rotating needle cylinder 6. The spring-biased contacts 21 conduct electrical energy via a conduit to the individual electromagnets 7.

FIG. 5 illustrates in cross-section the cylinder cam 8 in which there have been omitted, for sake of clarity, all movable parts.

FIG. 6 illustrates a plan view along line VI-VI in FIG. 3 of the electromagnetic control mechanism. In this view only the section members are shown and the members lying below these section members are not illustrated.

It should be noted that the sliders 4 are acted on by three different force components which are as follows:

1. The coil spring 5 urges the slider 4 to slide radially in a slot within the cam cylinder 8 towards the rotating needle cylinder 6.

2. An electromagnetically actuated pusher 7a can slide the slider 4 in accordance with a predetermined pattern away from the needle cylinder 6. It is of course understood that the pushing force of the pusher 7a must be substantially larger than the spring force of the coil spring 5.

3. A locking bolt 3 can, in accordance with a predetermined pattern, lock the sliders 4 in a projected or retracted position.

The locking bolts 3 and the coacting bolt 11 are shown in an exploded detailed view in FIG. 7. As can be noted, the locking bolt 3 has bulging portions 311 of larger diameter and narrowed portions 3b of smaller diameter. When the bulging portion 3a is in register with the forward or rearward enlarged portion of the longitudinal slit 3c in the slider 4, the latter is locked in position. In contradistinction thereto when the narrowed portion 3b is in register with the aforementioned enlarged portions of the slit 3c, the slider 4 can be radially slid in the cam cylinder 8.

FIG. 8 illustrates in an exploded view a plurality of different jacks 9 having staggered butts 9b. The jacks 9 are mounted in this sequence in groups into the longitudinal slots 14 of the needle cylinder 6.

FIG. 9 illustrates in detail an individual slider 4.

FIG. 10 illustrates in detail a jack 9 to which a cylinder nedle 10 is pivotally connected. The pivotal connection between the cylinder needle 10 and the jack 9 can be carried out in various ways. Thus it is possible to pivotally connect the needles l0 and jacks 9 prior to inserting them into the needle cylinder 6 of the circular knitting machine. It is also possible to construct the pivotal connection in such a way that the needles 10 are pivotally connected to the jacks 9 only while being installed in the needle cylinder.

Although the drawings illustrate pivotal connections between the cylinder needles l0 and the jacks 9, it should be noted that the pivotal connection between these two members does not constitute an essential feature of the invention. What is essential is that the jacks can be placed in a yes-no position. It is immaterial whether this positioning of the jacks is a purely radial sliding movement or whether it 'is a swinging movement.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to a plurality of preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a plurality of embodiments, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating needle cylinder, a stationary cam cylinder and a plurality of knitting systems,

a pattern control mechanism, comprising in combination,

a plurality of cylinder knitting needles and associated jacks operatively mounted in said needle cylinder;.

each one of said knitting systems comprise a plurality of sliders adjustably arranged in a stack in said stationary cam cylinder;

electromagnetic adjusting means operatively mounted in said rotating needle cylinder and adapted to sequentially adjust preselected sliders in said knitting systems in accordance with a prese- Iected pattern; and

locking means operatively mounted in said stationary cam cylinder for locking preselected sliders in each knitting system in one of two preselected positions.

2. In the circular knitting machine of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sliders are radially movable within said stationary cam cylinder.

3. In the circular knitting machine of claim 2, wherein said electromagnetic adjusting means comprises a plurality of electromagnets corresponding in number to said plurality of sliders in each knitting sys tem, each electromagnet comprising a pusher core adapted to coact with a predetermined slider of each knitting system.

4. In the circular knitting machine of claim 3 including means connected to each slider for radially biasing the slider toward said needle cylinder.

5. In the circular knitting machine of claim 4 including a slip ring mounted on said stationary cam cylinder and being adapted to conduct electric energy from a source of electric energy, electric contact means mounted on said rotatable needle cylinder and connected to said plurality of electromagnets and being adapted to contact said slip ring for conducting electric energy to the electromagnets.

6. In the circular knitting machine of claim 5, wherein said locking means comprises a bolt for each knitting system which is slidably mounted in said stationary cam cylinder and is adapted to lock preselected sliders in the knitting system in one of said two preselected positions.

7. In the circular knitting machine of claim 6 including electromagnetic cam means mounted in said rotatable needle cylinder for urging said bolts into a locking position and biasing means mounted in said stationary cam cylinder for urging said bolts into an unlocking position. 

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating needle cylinder, a stationary cam cylinder and a plurality of knitting systems, a pattern control mechanism, comprising in combination, a plurality of cylinder knitting needles and associated jacks operatively mounted in said needle cylinder; each one of said knitting systems comprise a plurality of sliders adjustably arranged in a stack in said stationary cam cylinder; electromagnetic adjusting means operatively mounted in said rotating needle cylinder and adapted to sequentially adjust preselected sliders in said knitting systems in accordance with a preselected pattern; and locking means operatively mounted in said stationary cam cylinder for locking preselected sliders in each knitting system in one of two preselected positions.
 2. In the circular knitting machine of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sliders are radially movable within said stationary cam cylinder.
 3. In the circular knitting machine of claim 2, wherein said electromagnetic adjusting means comprises a plurality of electromagnets corresponding in number to said plurality of sliders in each knitting system, each electromagnet comprising a pusher core adapted to coact with a predetermined slider of each knitting system.
 4. In the circular knitting machine of claim 3 including means connected to each slider for radially biasing the slider toward said needle cylinder.
 5. In the circular knitting machine of claim 4 including a slip ring mounted on said stationary cam cylinder and being adapted to conduct electric energy from a source of electric energy, electric contact means mounted on said rotatable needle cylinder and connected to said plurality of electromagnets and being adapted to contact said slip ring for conducting electric energy to the electromagnets.
 6. In the circular knitting machine of claim 5, wherein said locking means comprises a bolt for each knitting system which is slidably mounted in said stationary cam cylinder and is adapted to lock preselected sliders in the knitting system in one of said two preselected positions.
 7. In the circular knitting machine of claim 6 including electromagnetic cam means mounted in said rotatable needle cylinder for urging said bolts into a locking position and biasing means mounted in said stationary cam cylinder for urging said bolts into an unlocking position. 